Disposable packaging with an output device for displaying advertising material

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a disposable packaging  100,  which in one embodiment comprises a coffee cup lid  102  and a coffee cup  104.  An output device  106  is mounted in a recess  218  in the coffee cup lid  102.  The output device  106  comprises a display  108  for displaying a catalogue of advertising material. The output device  106  may be activated when a consumer is served a food or beverage in the disposable packaging  100.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates broadly to a disposable packaging with anoutput device for promoting advertising material.

BACKGROUND

On a daily basis millions of people worldwide consume fast food andother food products. Disposable packaging and containers are widely usedin the food service field where packaging is filled, stored, andsupplied to the consumer at a later time.

Therefore, as millions of consumers are exposed to disposable packagingproducts on a daily basis, a market has developed for promotingadvertising material on such disposable packaging products.

Conventionally, various types of disposable packaging products are usedby “fast food” and “take-away” outlets e.g. disposable plastics or papercups, boxes, plates, zarfs, etc. Such disposable packaging products areintended to provide a degree of retention of a food or a beverage andare intended to be single-use disposable items, and therefore must becapable of being produced at a low cost.

A typical disposable package may be formed from a plastics sheetmaterial, for example by vacuum forming or moulding. Alternatively, thedisposable package may be manufactured from a paper or paper likematerial, coated with an oil or grease resistant coating, and formedinto a desired shape. These disposable packages may also be used todisplay advertising material such as a logo of the café or restaurantwhere a consumer has purchased the food product.

A disadvantage with known disposable packaging having advertisingthereon is that only a predetermined single advertising image or messagecan be displayed.

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or thelike which has been included in the present specification is not to betaken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of theprior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant tothe present disclosure as it existed before the priority date of eachclaim of this application.

Throughout this specification the word “comprise”, or variations such as“comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusionof a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers orsteps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, orgroup of elements, integers or steps.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provideddisposable packaging comprising:

a body portion; and

an output device mounted to the body portion, the output devicecomprising:

-   -   a storage device to store a catalogue of advertising material,        and    -   a display for selectively displaying at least one of the        advertising material stored in the catalogue

wherein the output device is switchable from an inactive state, in whichadvertising material is not outputted on the display, to an activestate, in which advertising material is outputted on the display.

The output device may be mounted in a recess disposed on the bodyportion of the disposable packaging. The storage device may beassociated with a printed circuit board used to operate the outputdevice display.

A plurality of advertising materials may be sequentially outputted onthe display. The advertising materials may be looped on the outputdevice. In some embodiments, the output device may be manually switchedfrom the inactive state to the active state and in other embodiments,the switching may be automatic. A thermal sensor may be associated withthe output device to facilitate automatic switching from the inactivestate to the active state. The thermal sensor may be configured todetect when hot or chilled contents are present in the disposablepackaging or in a container associated with the disposable packaging.

The display of the output device may be selected from the groupconsisting of: a LCD screen, a LED screen, a touch screen, a lenticularscreen or any other display device capable of displaying storedadvertising material. The advertising material on the display may beinteractive advertising material. The display of the output device maybe flexible. The output device may further comprise an audio output.

The body portion may comprise at least part of a food or beveragecontainer. The body portion may include a lid on which the output devicemay be mounted. The output device may be automatically switched from aninactive state to an active state upon the disposable packaging beingmanipulated in a predetermined manner. The output device may beactivated by at least one of: closing the lid, twisting the lid orremoving a pull tab or by any other means for selectively connecting theoutput device to a power source to provide electrical current to theoutput device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the present disclosure will now be described, by way ofexample only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a disposablecoffee cup and lid with an output device according to the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the lid of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional view of the lid, taken along the line A-Aof FIG. 2, in an inactive state.

FIG. 4 illustrates a sectional view of the lid, taken along the line A-Aof FIG. 2, in an active state.

FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of the lid of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 illustrates a bottom view of the lid of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of another embodiment of adisposable coffee cup and lid according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a disposablefood container with an output device according to the presentdisclosure, wherein the container is closed.

FIG. 9 illustrates a perspective view of the disposable food containerof FIG. 8, wherein the food container is open to show a recess formounting the output device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The term “advertising material” used in this specification may includeany one or more of images, still images, videos, audio, multimediacontent, mixed media, text, animation, interactivity, or the like. Theadvertising material may be a catalogue of advertising material and mayinclude more than one format or type of advertising, for example, videoand audio advertising material. In addition, the term “disposablepackaging” used in this specification may include one or more of bowls,plates, boxes, cups, trays, utensils, lids, zarfs, bottles, jars, cans,containers, or any other packaging suitable for ‘take away’ foodproducts.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, there is shown disposable packaging 100comprising a coffee cup lid 102 and a coffee cup 104. An output device106 is mounted in a recess 218 in the coffee cup lid 102. The outputdevice 106 comprises a display 108 for displaying a catalogue ofadvertising material. The display 108 may be one of a LED screen, a LCDscreen, a touch screen, a lenticular screen or an interactive screen,such as a touch screen. If the output device 106 is a LED screen, a LCDscreen, a touch screen or other electronic device, it is generallysupplied to a retailer or the like in an inactive state, as shown inFIG. 3, to conserve power. The output device 106 may be activated, asshown in FIG. 4, when a food or beverage is served in the disposablepackaging 100.

The catalogue of advertising material may comprise a number of differentadvertising material formats or types for displaying on the display 108.The catalogue of advertising material, or a selection thereof, may alsobe repeated or ‘looped’ on the display 108 such that the advertisingmaterial stored in a storage device can be displayed a number of timesbefore the disposable packaging 100 is discarded. The order in which theadvertising material is displayed can be manually selected by aconsumer, predetermined or randomised.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 to 6, the disposable lid 102 comprises a bodyportion 202 which includes a central region 204, surrounded by anelevated annular region 206. A fluid aperture 208 is formed on theelevated annular region 206 at one circumferential position on thedisposable packaging 200. The elevated annular region 206 is bounded, atits outer edge, by a circumferential wall 210, sloping generallydownwards from the edge of annular region 206 to a level below that ofthe central region 204. The lower edge of the circumferential wall 210merges with a region of arcuate cross-section, which defines a resilientrib 212 which projects outwardly from the bottom of the circumferentialwall 210. Extending from the base of the rib 212, on the side oppositefrom the circumferential wall 210, is a generally frustoconical,resilient skirt 214, defining a peripheral edge 216 of the disposablepackaging 200. The resilient rib 212 is adapted to engage the rim of thecoffee cup 104. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the central region 204 of thebody portion 202 is formed with recess 218 adapted for mounting outputdevice 106. The output device 106 includes a power source 222 and astorage device 224 associated with the display 108. The storage device224 is associated with a printed circuit board (PCB) and the display 108for displaying items from a catalogue of advertising material stored inthe storage device 224.

In some embodiments the power source 222 may be, for example, a batteryor other device which can provide an electrical current to the outputdevice 106. The storage device 224 may be a digital memory, for example,a non-volatile memory device. The digital memory can receive and storedata and send the data to components, such as the display 108. Thestored data may be accessed randomly or sequentially depending on thetype of display used in the output device. Alternatively, the storagedevice 224 may be an analogue memory, such as a printed image which canbe used with a lenticular screen to display a plurality of advertisingmaterials. The printed image may be, for example, a transforming print,animated print or a stereoscopic effect print.

FIG. 3 shows a pull tab 230 positioned between the power source 222 andthe storage device 224, such that the output device 106 does not have acomplete electrical circuit and the display 108 is in an inactive state.The output device 106 is activated by manually removing the pull tab 230to complete the electrical circuit between the power source 222, storagedevice 224 and display 108, as shown in FIG. 4, thereby activating thedisplay 108. In the active state, the display 108 is configured toreceive a signal from the storage device 224 and display an advertisingimage associated with the received signal on the display 108.

FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of the lid 102 showing output device 106disposed substantially centrally. FIG. 6 illustrates the underside ofthe lid 102 showing the recess 218 for mounting the output device 106.While the recess 218 and the output device 106 are illustrated as arectangular shape, it is to be understood that other shapes may also beused, for example, a circular or a rhomboid shape.

In another embodiment, the output device 106 can be disposed off-centeron the lid 102 to achieve a desired advertising effect or appearance. Inyet another embodiment, particularly where the output device 106 is alenticular screen, the orientation of the advertising material outputtedon the display 108 may be changed based on the orientation of the lid102. In some embodiments the output device 106 is associated with anaudio device to output audio associated with displayed advertingmaterial.

FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment of a disposable packaging 100having many features in common with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 6,wherein corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding featureswith corresponding components and functionality. In the embodiment ofFIG. 7, however, the output device 106 is mounted on the side wall ofthe coffee cup 104.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show disposable packaging 300 for food. The packaging 300has many features in common with the coffee cup 104 and lid 102disclosed in FIGS. 1 to 6, where, unless otherwise indicated,corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding features withcorresponding components and functionality. The disposable packaging 300comprises a base portion 302 and a cover portion 304 joined together byhinge portion 306. The cover portion 304 includes a recess 308 in whichan output device 106 may be mounted. The output device 106 comprises adisplay 108, a power source 222 and a storage device 224, as describedabove with reference with FIGS. 1 to 6. Perimeter walls 318 extend fromthe base portion 302 and are configured to abut corresponding perimeterwalls 320 of the cover portion 304. FIG. 8 illustrates the disposablepackaging 300 in a closed arrangement in which the cover portion 304 isarranged over the base portion 302. Conversely, FIG. 9 illustrates thedisposable packaging 300 in an open configuration.

Mass produced disposable packaging, manufactured into the shapeillustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, can be nested together and supplied “open”to a retailer. Before the disposable packaging 300, usually containing afood or beverage, is received by a customer, the output device 106mounted to the cover portion 304 is activated. The display 108 may beactivated, for example, by removing a pull tab 230 as in the earlierdescribed coffee cup and lid embodiments, or by otherwise completing anelectrical circuit of the output device 310, such as by including aswitch in the electrical circuit that is closed automatically uponclosing of the cover portion 304.

The disposable packaging 300 can be of various shapes; a rectangular boxshape being illustrated by way of example. Moreover, the output device106 may be provided at a different location on the packaging 300, suchas on a perimeter wall 318, 320 of the packaging.

Rather than relying on manual activation, the output device 106 of anyof the above described embodiments may include or otherwise beassociated with a thermal sensor to automatically switch the outputdevice 106 from the inactive state to the active state as a result ofthe sensor sensing the presence of hot or chilled contents in thedisposable packaging 100, 300.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerousvariations and/or modifications may be made to the above-describedembodiments, without departing from the broad general scope of thepresent disclosure. The present embodiments are, therefore, to beconsidered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

1. Disposable packaging comprising: a body portion; and an output devicemounted to the body portion, the output device comprising: a storagedevice to store a catalogue of advertising materials, and a display forselectively displaying at least one of the advertising materials storedin the catalogue, wherein the output device is switchable from aninactive state in which advertising material is not outputted on thedisplay to an active state in which advertising material is outputted onthe display.
 2. The disposable packaging of claim 1, wherein the outputdevice is automatically switched from the inactive state to the activestate upon the disposable packaging being manipulated in a predeterminedmanner.
 3. The disposable packaging of claim 2, wherein the body portioncomprises at least part of a food or beverage container.
 4. Thedisposable packaging of claim 3, wherein the body portion comprises alid and the output device is activated by applying the lid to areceptacle portion of the food or beverage container.
 5. The disposablepackaging of claim 4, wherein the output device is activated by applyingthe lid to the receptacle portion and rotating the lid relative thereto.6. The disposable packaging of claim 1, wherein the body portioncomprises at least part of a food or beverage container.
 7. Thedisposable packaging of claim 1, comprising a thermal sensor associatedwith the output device to facilitate the output device beingautomatically switched from the inactive state to the active state. 8.The disposable packaging of claim 1, wherein the output device ismanually switched from the inactive state to the active state byremoving a pull tab.
 9. The disposable packaging of claim 1, comprisinga recess in the body portion for mounting the output device.
 10. Thedisposable packaging of claim 1, wherein the storage device isassociated with a printed circuit board.
 11. The disposable packaging ofclaim 1, wherein a plurality of advertising materials are sequentiallyoutputted on the display.
 12. The disposable packaging of claim 1,wherein the advertising materials are looped on the display.
 13. Thedisposable packaging of claim 1, wherein the display is selected fromthe group consisting of a LCD screen, a LED screen, a touch screen, anda lenticular screen.
 14. The disposable packaging of claim 1, whereinthe output device comprises an audio output.